Chapter 4

Duel With Kuroki

This is the shortest chapter yet, but lots of action. I can't wait for chapters to come! Lots of NaruSaku!

DISCLAIMER: Oh yes, I own Naruto! And you, and you, and you! And I own the world's tallest MARSHMELLO! Yeah, yeah. Of COURSE I don't own it you DAMN IDIOTS!!!!

Sakura panted as the wire finally came to an end, leading into a large castle. "Out of all the types of houses this guy could have chosen…" she panted. "A castle. Now it's going to be even harder to search." Silently, she crept into the large building, watching her steps to be sure that she was ready for any traps. As she searched, she came to a large marble staircase spiraling upwards. After checking that it was safe, she began to walk up the stairs, glancing around at the walls that seemed endless.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice screeched from above, and Sakura immediately looked up, but didn't see her blonde ninja anywhere.

Another voice echoed down into the halls, cold and harsh, stopping Sakura in her tracks. "Shut up you little brat." It growled. "Let me take care of my business quickly." Sakura clasped her hands over her mouth before she let out a cry, and stared shockingly at the floors above her. Who was that? she said in her head.

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto shouted back, angrily.

Suddenly, a flash of yellow appeared over one of the balconies, followed by a screech as Naruto fell over the edge. "Naruto!" Sakura shouted and caught him as he fell. "Naruto! Are you okay?"

Naruto stared at Sakura with wide eyes. "S-Sakura-chan? Y-you were here?" he said surprisingly. Much to Sakura's surprise, tears began to form in the jinchuuriki's eyes, and he embraced Sakura warmly. "I-I was for sure I'd die here! Arigatou, Sakura-chan! Arigatou!"

Sakura smiled, returned Naruto's hug. "I couldn't help but worry." She said, tears also beginning to fall down her cheeks. "I love you, Naruto."

"Aw, isn't this a touching moment?" the cold voice spoke yet again. Kuroki jumped down from the balcony above them and landed with a thump on the marble stairs. "You both can go burn in hell now."

Anger flickered in Naruto's eyes. "If you so much as lay a finger on her," he growled. "You will lose your life." A little unbalanced, he faced Kuroki with a new intent.

Kuroki chuckled, "Is that so, Naruto?" A smirk swept across his face, and he cracked his knuckled. "Well then," Speedily, he created some hand signs and still spoke no words. With a loud echo he slapped his hands on the ground and millions of rocks spattered towards Sakura, cutting her in many places.

"You bastard!" Naruto screamed, and charged at Kuroki. Swiftly making hand signs, he shouted "Fuuton Ken!" and a large blade of wind formed in his grip. When it completed, the Hokage slammed the invisible weapon into his old caretaker, sending him flying back. With a swift motion, he jerked the sword out from Kuroki's body, blood spattering everywhere.

Sakura swayed a little, but she found her balance and ran after the flying heap of flesh in the air. Clenching her fists, she drove them into his gut, sending another wave of blood down the stairs. A satisfied smirk appeared across her face, and she brought a hand up to wipe away the blood for her attack as well as his.

Kuroki landed with a thud at the very bottom, coughing up more blood. Detest shone in his eyes as he glared at the two ninja staring down at him, pleased at the condition his body was in. I'm not done yet… He quickly made more hand signs, and pointed his palms at Naruto and Sakura. "Katon: Tajuu Dangan!" he shouted, and bullets of fire shot out of his hands.

Realizing the danger, Naruto pushed Sakura out of the way and cover his face up with his arms as fast as he could. The fire bullets burned away some of the clothing, some of it burning his skin. Sakura stared at Naruto as the fire engulfed his arms, tears creeping down the blonde's face. As the fire cleared, Naruto's arms were beat red from the fire's contact, and multiple places were burned. Sakura ran to Naruto and placed her cool hands over his injured arms, and began to heal them. "Sakura…chan…" he gasped, his voice husky. "It's okay, just a little…"

"A little what?" Sakura snapped, tears falling onto his burned limbs. "A little injury? Naruto, you could lose the use of your arms if this is left untreated by a medic!"

Naruto cringed a little at her harsh tone, and watched as his arms got their regular color returned. "Gomen," he sighed. "For being careless." As the ball of green chakra under the kunoichi's hands shrunk in size, she flashed the Hokage a warm smile. Now the chakra was entirely gone, and Naruto flexed his arms. "Let's finish this," he said, determination in his tone.

Kuroki stood up, and ran his fingers through his black hair. "I need to get somewhere." He sighed. "Don't get in my way."

Sakura growled, "It's you who's in our way." Her fists clenched, and a blue aura surrounded them. Anger flashing in her emerald eyes, she ran at Kuroki and aimed to punch him in the head, but he swiftly dodged the attack, and shot up into her gut. Blood blasted from her mouth, splattering onto Kuroki's face. She screamed in agony as her body flew against the cold wall, and fell down, heading about three flights of stairs below.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, and jumped over the edge of the marble stairs and caught the kunoichi briskly. Gently, he set her down on the steps and rushed back up to take care of Kuroki. His sapphire eyes glowed with hatred. "I've had enough of you." He growled.

Kuroki laughed with amusement, "You really don't get it, do you, Naruto?" For a second, his yellow eyes flashed red. "You will not leave here alive."

"That's what you think!" Naruto shouted at him, clenching his fists. "You damn bastard! I'm going to see to your death!" The Rokudaime flung out a scroll, and a large shuriken came out. His hand came around and gripped the unsharpened end, and spun, then threw the shuriken at Kuroki, who easily dodged it. But he wasn't prepared for the attack coming up from behind him, and a clone of Naruto stabbed him in the back with a poison-soaked kunai, sharpened to the point. Kuroki howled in pain, and flung Naruto over him by knocking forward severely. The blonde's head hit against the ground, sending a painful wail to bounce off the walls. For a split second, Naruto's eyes flashed the Kyuubi's red, but he immediately suppressed the powerful chakra.

Noticing the chakra rising in the jinchuuriki, Kuroki laughed, "Refusing to bring out the Kyuubi, huh?" He opened his hand to reveal five shuriken. "Maybe you should except his help!" The black-haired threw the shuriken and Naruto, following it up with a powerful punch.

Luckily, Naruto saw through it, and jumped up. But his leg was snagged by Kuroki, and was pulled down only to be shooting back up when the fist came in contact with his already bloody body.

Slowly, Sakura regained consciousness, but didn't see Naruto looming over her like she expected. Instead, he was spread out on the ground, many injuries to the head, torso, and legs. "Naruto!" she screamed, and the blonde Hokage picked up his head.

"Sakura-chan?" he muttered, and noticed that Sakura was running at him. "No! Stay back Sakura-chan!" But his warning came to late, and Kuroki plowed into the kunoichi. "Sakura-chan!"

Sakura slammed into the wall, and coughed as she caught herself on one of the steps. "You bastard." She coughed, and wiped the blood from her mouth. "I'm going to take care of you once and for all."

"Stay out of it, Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried desperately. "Don't risk your life for me!" Sakura flipped her head around, but her harsh gaze was calmed by Naruto's soft one. Shining with compassion, his sapphire eyes hypnotized her. The clenched fists became loose, and she sighed. "Sakura-chan, this isn't a battle you can win." Naruto said; his voice spiked with worry. "Just stay out of it."

Sakura nodded her head, and walked gently over to the Rokudaime. Careful not to hurt him, she began to heal his wounds. But as she was doing so, she heard a blast from the entrance of the room. Both her and Naruto's heads flipped around and saw Team Gai standing at the doorway. Gai flashed his popular 'youthful' smile, "Hey guys, need some help?"

Gai to the rescue! ...that sounded sooo wrong...

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Yamahato Yokimoko-san